What is wrong with Hockey?

Question

The Nielsen ratings came in from last weeks All Star game. Only 400K+ homes watched the game on the VS channel. 5 things mentioned that beat it: 1) American Idol, 2) Mythbusters, 3) Top Chef, 4) Some Renovation show/do it yourself (I forget the name of) and 5) a 40 year old re-run of the Andy Griffith show on TV Land. Can someone explain this to me? What does Bettman need to do?

Answer 1

Nothing is "wrong" with hockey, the problem is that most people in the U.S. don't know how awesome a game it is. The problem is with marketing the game and the young stars. Here are my suggestions:

1. Get the stanley cup playoffs and all-star game on a REGULAR network no matter what it takes. If the league has to lose money short-term for the health of the sport, so be it.

2. Winner of the All-star game gets home ice in the Stanley Cup final. Maybe that will make it mean something.

3. When a team is penalized, give them the option of having a penalty shot taken against them instead of serving the 2 minutes. This will add some strategy.

4. If you DO decide to serve the 2 minutes, it's 2 minutes no matter how many goals are scored against you.

5. Curve the blue lines so that each part is an equal distance from the goal. That should open it up some.

6. The extra point for overtime is ridiculous. Do one of these 3 things: 1) a win is a win, a loss is a loss, just keep won-lost, 2) 3 points for a win in regulation 3) award a fixed 6 points to both teams , 6-0 regulation win, 5-1 OT win, 4-2 shootout win

7. I won't say fighting should go, you'll all give me thumbs down (although for every person I know who likes it I know 10 that would watch hockey if it wasn't there). But at least mean it with suspensions for sucker punches and stick swinging. And you pull A Bertuzzi or McSorley you're gone. FOR LIFE. The league does NOT need the bad-boy image it has. Players actually behave MUCH better than in the other major sports by and large, but you wouldn't know it.

Answer 2

What does Bettman need to do? I'd say retire, but that wouldn't be a progressive answer. The truth is, he needs to stop DOING things. He is ruining the integrity of the game that so many die-hard fans came to love.

All his changes in the past 14 years of his tenure were oriented to marketing, and how he could win over the American fans... through ultimately 'generating' more offense. Now, you see the All-star game, with the games most marketable players scoring a total of 12-13 goals, and people just aren't interested!

Americans will still tell you "Hockey is boring" and it is still too defensive and then they'll turn around and say they love a great defensive battle in the NFL or a great pitching duel in the MLB.

It has been marketed, expanded, changed and practically shoved down everyone's throats. The NHL has existed at least as long Major League Baseball, and is arguably no more boring, but the difference is baseball respects its rules and traditions and recent leadership has made a mockery out of the NHL's.

Answer 3

I was there seven rows from the glass.. It was one of the greatest things I've ever seen. I'm so glad I got the chance to experience it.. But I'm extremely disappointed with the ratings this year.. I thought Crosby and Ovechkin would pull in some viewers. It wasn't advertised enough I'm sure.. Of course, it was here in Dallas, but even so, it could've been better.

I can see where he tired.. Unveiling the new uniform and all, but Bettman's done.. He's screwed this game up and it's going to take some time to rebuild. He was booed at the game when he came out.. That tells you what the fans think of him. The way things are going.. Hockey will be driven into the ground.. It's hard to watch the best sport crumble like this.

Answer 4

Some have also suggested that the league has not gotten into full swing after the lock-out. Between that and no All-star game in 2006 because of the Olympics, the NHL has to regain it's footing. And why was the game on a Tuesday night. That had to be the kiss of death there. Can't go up against shows like American Idol. There are AI viewing parties and die-hard fans watching wach week so that was a tall order.

Answer 5

That's easy. Two MAJOR problems:

1. The game was on a Wednesday night. How dumb is that? There is a LOT more competition on a weekday night than a weekend afternoon like they used to do.

2. The game was on Versus. So long as the NHL is on that piece of crap channel, they are going to get cruddy ratings. Lots of cable providers don't even have Versus. My family up north doesn't get them. They are not on the basic packages. Less people CAN see them, let alone WANT to.

That said, the Nielsen ratings don't tell the whole story. They are generally U.S.-specific. I'll bet if you look at North America as a whole, the All-Star game did a lot better. For more information on that, check out this article:

http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/171418

So what does Bettman need to do (aside of quit so we can get a decent commissioner)? For one thing, he needs to kiss ESPN's butt and get them to take the NHL back at pretty much any cost. The league needs exposure, and it is NOT going to get it at Versus. He also needs to promote the success of the game in Canada better. If you factor in the % of Canadians who watch hockey in the North American market as a whole, it makes the numbers look much better... and more accurate. That will help change the perception of the sport as a second tier sport and get it better sponsors. That means more money. That means more advertising. That means better ratings.

Answer 6

I think part of the issue is that the All Star Game was on during the week.

The All Star game does mean "nothing" as far as points go. It isn't played like a normal game as far as positions and plays go, so some fans do find it a "chore".

It is however, fun for some fans to see players from their favorite teams play together. It's just an extra for the fans if they choose to watch.

I'm so sick of American Idol! Society has gotten way too obsessed in my opinion. I think you could have the Stanley Cup Finals on and American Idol would beat it. It's just what people are into right now....

Answer 7

There are several reasons for the very low ratings. First is that the game was carried on the Vs. network. A network that many cable companies still do not even carry so millions of fans didn't have a chance to watch even if they wanted to. The second is a lack of marketing I live in Dallas and went to all the events but unless you watch a lot of hockey or visit the NHL websites you hardly saw any ads for the game (very odd and this is the HOST city). They need to be on a bigger network and put big games like the all star game and cup finals on NBC.

Answer 8

Who cares? I do not care if the USA ever accepts hockey on a mass baiss. This debate has been going on since the 1960s. It's ridiculous. hockey will be a strong regional sport and that's it.

The masses know nothing anyway.

Bettman can do whatever like Zeigler, Stein and Campbell before them chasing the pot at the end of the rainbow. Won't make a difference.

Answer 9

its a weekend event and they put it in the middle of the ******* week. in the US most of you cant even catch that versus crap and it was only a rebound for Bettman cause they lost the contract they had with ESPN during the lookout. hopefully Gary Bettman can get some deal done with ESPN for next year cause we have the young talented players to show off to the world players like Crosby and Ovechkin and within the next 5 years the NHL can be once again on top of the NBA and close to the MLB like it was in the late 80's and early 90's.



GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 10

I agree that it was advertised badly and suffered from being on a network few people have, and that the idea of putting it in the middle of the week was incredibly stupid. What Gary Bettman needs to do is undo everything he's done in the last ten years, he's the FEMA of major league sports comissioners.